BICHOLIM
The tragic drowning cases of two youth in separate incidents at Nanora-Bicholim on May 26 has sadly added to the list of fatalities and has highlighted the dangers of water bodies across the taluka.
In the past few years, a number of people, especially teens and youth, have lost their lives in water bodies like ponds, dams, rivers, streams, waterfalls, quarries and canals.
About 4-5 persons have lost their lives at the Arvalem waterfall in the past few years, while water bodies at Usap and Bhatwadi in Nanora, and Amthane dam in Bicholim taluka have also claimed lives.
While Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and authorities have regularly assured that measures will be in place to ensure safety around these water bodies, many leaders and locals in Bicholim believe that responsibility also lies with parents and residents in the village to take steps to prevent youth from risking their lives in these water bodies.
Bicholim MLA Dr Chandrakant Shetye said the solution lies with parents, teachers and people in villages to create awareness of the dangers of water bodies and to prevent such people from going there.
Mayem MLA Premendra Shet said while water is attractive to everyone, enjoying tourism at the cost of risking or losing one’s life and shattering families must be avoided at all costs.
“How much can the government do to stop loss of lives in these water bodies? The responsibility lies with everyone,” said Shet.
Prashant Chanekar, a social worker in Bicholim, felt the government needs to appoint a special task force in this regard and erect signboards at all places warning people of the dangers of swimming in quarries and other water bodies.
“Parents should prevent their minor children from going to secluded places and places where they have no knowledge of water levels. Youth should not also enter into water bodies after consuming alcohol,” said Chanekar.
Claiming that many tourists break the rules and risk their lives in these water bodies, Bhagwan Harmalkar believes strict action needs to be taken against those who venture into these water bodies.
Gokuldas Harmalkar has also felt the need to launch a campaign to prevent people from swimming into unsafe water bodies.
Others felt that police teams should make surprise visits to these areas and take action where necessary, when people ignore warnings near water bodies.
